🔗 Share this article

It's tough for the Australian squad to set fresh records.

The greatest achievements have been successfully scaled.

This is the squad that has won seven Cricket World Cups, plus another six T20 titles, and previously enjoyed over three years undefeated in 50-over cricket.

The remaining milestones, those for the achievement hunters, are the only things left for a team that has won it all.

• Healy's Hundred Helps Australia to Unprecedented Chase
• Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 - Matches, Results & Statistics
• Tournament Standings, Leading Batsmen & Leading Bowlers

The fact it required up to Sunday's success by three wickets over India for them to achieve their initial ODI chase above 300, regaining their record for the largest in the female 50-over format, is, honestly, a compliment to the pitchers that have sported the yellow jersey over the last half-century.

It's challenging for their hitters to maintain a record if never given the chance.

In the end, the outcome of Australia conceding 330 was captain Alyssa Healy getting a chance to create her latest masterpiece.

Originally famous as the teenage relative of celebrated previous Aussie wicketkeeper Ian, she first played in 2010 after Australia didn't secure either of the T20 or ODI World Cups from the prior year and has experienced everything through 15 successful years since.

Success in the T20 World Cup happened three months after her debut and seven global championships have come from 10 tries across formats.

The tough gloveman was present as well in Derby in 2017 when a semi-final defeat by India briefly halted the successful run.

That loss "motivated us to reconsider our benchmarks," Healy commented earlier.

At the following one-day championship in New Zealand, Healy hit 170 against England in the final and was declared player of the series. She guaranteed her country would not come up short.

Whether this latest epic knock topped that previous effort can be debated.

Some will argue the reasoning behind championship match pressure. Some might respond with the test that comes when pursuing an unprecedented total and a raucous India-supporting crowd of 20,000.

What is certain is this century was much more difficult to anticipate.

The New Zealand onslaught in 2022 occurred when she topped the run-scoring charts, but this performance came after six matches in India from the beginning of the previous month in which she had not exceeded 30 runs.

"If you've observed me in practice sessions, it has been a challenging time because I feel like I've had no rhythm at all," commented Healy.

"However when you enter the playing area, your competitive instincts take over and you simply focus on the competition."

Healy's competitiveness has continuously been her key asset - and a priceless quality in replacing famous previous leader Meg Lanning.

She was troubled by India's promising player Kranti Gaud in the previous month's ODI series, out to the emerging pace bowler in every game, but this time it merely gave Healy's spark.

A single was taken off the opening delivery and after that the batsman was on her way.

"An opportunity to go out there and lock in a contest with her and just have a bit of fun in that aspect, sort of got me going," stated Healy.

She got to fifty in 35 pitches - her fastest at the global tournament - and her hundred in 84 balls as she attacked short-pitched balls, hitting 21 fours and three sixes.

Once she was removed her side needed 66 additional runs at a run-a-ball - an achievable target now requiring a leisurely stroll.

"Chasing 330 runs is new territory so I'm happy we have the belief to achieve that now," added Healy.

"Ideally we won't need to repeat it but, if we do, we know we can do it."

Those words will be the final thing rival teams at this championship should hear.

During the last week a sense they will win from any position has grown stronger - this triumph following success over Pakistan by 107 run margin despite being 76-7 at one stage.

Next Australia play Bangladesh before a match against traditional opponents England in Indore in ten days, by which point a last-four spot may likely be confirmed.

It was at that stage they were eliminated from last year's T20 World Cup in a surprising setback by South Africa - a match Healy missed because of damaged tissue in her foot as she led her country for the inaugural occasion at a significant event.

Such is her determination, she subsequently stated she wished she had played despite the injury.

Yet even as she afterwards confessed those fitness problems have delayed plans to retire, this tournament is anticipated as her last as captain in 50-over cricket and she is hasn't yet secured a world championship as leader.

Triumph in India would bring her to the top of her ultimate challenge.